Neil Nathan Inc: Sweep The Nation

Neil Nathan Inc.

Sweep The Nation

(Independent)

New York-based singer/songwriter Neil Nathan has here made himself over, Overlord-style, as an evil corporation – Neil Nathan Inc. – for his concept album, Sweep The Nation. These are songs that not only have the crunch of power-pop to them, there is bite and bile; there is anger – and it’s perfectly expressed on a scorched and scorching cover of Lou Reed’s There Is Not Time; imagine an overdriven Cheap Trick mustering just enough attitude in the playing to complement Lou’s powerful polemic.

Before that, with I Ain’t No Company Man, Nathan’s Joe Walsh-esque lyrics ride along on the relentless chug of a Detroit Rock City riff with just the whiff of T-Rex trailing behind.

Though this is very different to Nathan’s previous work there are still the references to so many power-pop heroes, Matthew Sweet, The Raspberries, Jeff Lynne…

Through 11 determined, apocalyptic rockers Nathan seems to be telling his own Orwellian version of the fascinations that have seen Ry Cooder newly enthused to create.

Sweep The Nation might preach doom but it’s infectious and so full of hooks and there’s a charm to the (false) smarm. Nathan’s a great writer and player and here he builds on the more country-tinged earlier release, The Distance Calls. Showing a further depth, a fresh (sharp) angle.